Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has firmly dismissed claims that his office received Ksh.36 billion in the 2025/26 national budget, calling the allegations “misleading and completely inaccurate.”
Speaking in response to remarks made by Diana Gichengo, Executive Director at The Institute for Social Accountability (TISA), Mwaura denied that his office had such a vast allocation, insisting it does not even receive Ksh.100 million.
“Diana Gichengo, I have a bone to chew with you. How do you lie on national radio that my office gets Ksh.36 billion?” Mwaura said during a press briefing. “That is a blatant falsehood. The budget for my office is not even Ksh.100 million.”
Gichengo had questioned the government’s austerity narrative during an interview on Spice FM, highlighting a significant rise in travel and subsistence allocations. She claimed that while the government preaches budget cuts, figures suggest otherwise, particularly in segments under the Office of the President.
“They claim the budget for the Office of the President dropped to Ksh.5.5 billion, but it’s been split across different offices, including the Spokesperson’s,” she argued, adding that the Spokesperson’s travel budget allegedly jumped from Ksh.19.2 billion to Ksh.36 billion.
Mwaura refuted these numbers and accused Gichengo of using sensationalism to attract foreign donor attention. “You’re posturing for dollars. That’s why I asked for a right of reply, and they didn’t give me one,” he said, calling for more responsible public discourse.
He also warned that the government would act against individuals spreading misinformation on social media, especially if such content risks inciting the public.
“Let’s not try to create another Finance Bill moment,” Mwaura warned, referencing last year’s protests. “This time, we will not allow our country to go down the drain.”
While encouraging public participation in national matters, Mwaura reminded Kenyans to use official channels. However, the window for public submissions on the 2025 Finance Bill closed on May 27, according to the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Finance and Planning.
Despite the closure, Mwaura urged citizens to continue engaging constructively, emphasizing that factual dialogue is critical to maintaining national stability.
Written By Rodney Mbua
